BME - Biomedical Engineering Technical Electives

This elective list is for students whose catalogue year is Fall 2007 and later. Click here for a print-friendly version.

Nine technical elective units required
Select all 9 units from one of the following four areas of specialization:

Bioelectronics/Computers

Bioelectronic/bioelectrical engineers apply the principles of circuit analysis, circuit design and information/signal processing to biological systems and/or clinical medicine. This specialization also provides the training and background for careers that revolve around physiological signal processing or biomedical imaging. Biomedical engineers who have this specialization would be well-suited for careers in industries that produce medical devices, hospital instrumentation and biomedical imaging equipment.

*Course*	*Course Title*	*Units*	*Prerequisite (Co-requisite)*
BME 425	Basics of Biomedical Imaging	3	PHYS 153
CSCI 445	Introduction to Robotics	4	CSCI 101
EE 101	Introduction to Digital Logic	3	none
EE 201L	Introduction to Digital Circuits	3	EE 101
EE 357	Basic Organization of Computer Systems	3	EE 101, EE 201
EE 434L	Digital Signal Processing Laboratory	4	EE 483
EE 454L	Introduction to Systems Deisng Using Microprocessors	4	EE 201, EE 357
EE 483	Introduction to Digital Signal Processing	3	EE 301

Biomechanics

Biomechanics involves the application of engineering mechanics to biology and clinical medicine. Biomechanical engineers are involved in the design and development of medical implants and devices, as well as improving diagnostic and therapeutic methods in orthopedic, rehabilitation and sports medicine. Examples of products of biomechanical engineering design include prosthetic limbs, hip implants, and more recently, biomedical microelectromechanical systems (bio-MEMS).

*Course*	*Course Title*	*Units*	*Prerequisite (Co-requisite)*
AME 201	Statics	3	MATH 125
AME 204	Strength of Materials	3	AME 201 or CE 205
AME 301	Dynamics	3	AME 201 or CE 205
AME 302	Design of Dynamic Systems	3	(MATH 245, AME 301, AME 309)
AME 308	Computer Aided Analysis for Design	3	none
AME 309	Dynamics of Fluids	4	none
BME 404	Biomechanics	3	PHYS 151L, MATH 245, AME 201
BME 416	Development and Regulation of Medical Products	3	junior standing
BME 412	Fundamentals of Craniofacial Biotechnology (DENT 412)	3	none
MASC 310	Materials Behavior & Processing	3	none

Biochemical Engineering

This area of specialization provides the BME student with the background and training important for careers in biotechnology, biomaterials and the pharmaceutical industry. Engineers in these industries develop and test new drug therapies, new materials that can be used for implants, and processes related to genomics and proteomics.

*Course*	*Course Title*	*Units*	*Prerequisite (Co-requisite)*
CHE 330	Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics	3	MATH 226
CHE 350	Introduction to Separation Processes	3	CHEM 105bl
CHE 460L	Chemical Process Dynamics and Control	3	CHE 120 (MATH 245)
CHE 489	Biochemical Engineering	3	CHE 330, BISC 320L
BME 412	Fundamentals of Craniofacial Biotechnology (DENT 412)	3	none
MASC 310	Materials Behavior and Processing	3	none

Neuroengineering
Neuroengineering represents the intersection between engineering and neuroscience. This specialization provides biomedical engineers with the basic knowledge important for graduate work or industrial careers in the neurostimulator and neural implant industry. Examples of applications include heart pacemakers, cardiac defibrillators, cochlear (inner ear) implants, deep brain stimulators (for epilepsy treatment) and functional electrical stimulation of muscles (for reanimating paralyzed limbs). The courses that form the core of this specialization were introduced relatively recently, following the establishment of the Biomimetic Microelectronic Systems Engineering Research Center at USC.

Course Course Title
Units
Prerequisite (Co-requisite)

BME 350 Biomedical Engineering Industrial Project
3
junior standing

BME 416 Development and Regulation of Medical Products
3
junior standing

BME 451 Fundamentals of Biomedical Microdevices
3
EE 202L

BME 452 Introduction to Biomimetic Neural Engineering
3
EE 202L

CSCI 445 Introduction to Robotics
4
CSCI 101 or C Language

EE 434L Digital Signal Processing Design Laboratory
4
EE 483

EE 483 Introduction to Digital Signal Processing
3
EE 301